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Posted

My missus went to the visa processing company (VFS) in Bangers on 19/9/2013 to apply for another 12 month multiple entry visa.

There have been a few changes.

Firstly, she had an old form (48R? not sure if this is the number). The new form is a 1419. Anyhow, they printed off the new form and we filled it in together using Skype to communicate as I am in Australia at the moment.

There is nowhere to request a multiple entry visa and the guy at VFS said it is up to the Embassy as to what sort of entry visa they will issue.

She was also told that there is no longer a necessity for documents to be translated from Thai to English. She had just paid 700 baht for a change of name document to be translated. facepalm.gif

The new form seemed to have stricter requirements for providing proof of ability of support by the sponsor.

All in all, pretty simple and the processing time is 2 business days.

The same afternoon she got an email from VFS giving her a tracking number and saying that her application had been forwarded to the Embassy for processing.

It all seemed pretty easy and efficient to me.

Posted

Thanks for sharing your recent experiences.

Indeed, the old 'Tourist Visa', the 676 is finished and now you will now need to apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) Tourist stream ... Form 1419

There might have been a misunderstanding with the missus about the application and the intended length of stay as those are almost unchanged between the two Visas and associated Forms.

post-104736-0-72579900-1379717572_thumb.

. Visitor visa 600

post-104736-0-05230800-1379717575_thumb. . post-104736-0-44019600-1379717632_thumb.

. Visitor visa 600 . . . . . . . . Old 48r Form

One thing I know would be valuable information is, how long did your missus wait between finishing her last 12 month Visa and this application?

Thanks and good luck with the application.

.

Posted

From my experience, the first visa issued will be for 3 months, the following visas issued will be 12 month multi-entry without you asking for this.

It would appear that after you do the right thing first time they relax their rules.

Posted

From my experience, the first visa issued will be for 3 months, the following visas issued will be 12 month multi-entry without you asking for this.

It would appear that after you do the right thing first time they relax their rules.

Not in my experience. The first visa for 3 months. We went back to Thailand together and reapplied for another visa. They told us it was equal time, i.e. if you had a 3 month visa then you had to wait for 3 months before another one could be issued, and if the visa was for 6 months then there was a 6 month period before reapplying etc.

As it turns out they gave it to us 2 weeks later, but still only a 3 month visa not 6 or 12 months(which we had asked for). A friend of mine was told the same thing about the equal time thing by VFS.

Posted

From my experience, the first visa issued will be for 3 months, the following visas issued will be 12 month multi-entry without you asking for this.

It would appear that after you do the right thing first time they relax their rules.

Not in my experience. The first visa for 3 months. We went back to Thailand together and reapplied for another visa. They told us it was equal time, i.e. if you had a 3 month visa then you had to wait for 3 months before another one could be issued, and if the visa was for 6 months then there was a 6 month period before reapplying etc.

As it turns out they gave it to us 2 weeks later, but still only a 3 month visa not 6 or 12 months(which we had asked for). A friend of mine was told the same thing about the equal time thing by VFS.

FYI the waiting time for a spouse Visa is now 12 months according to the letter we received.

Posted

From my experience, the first visa issued will be for 3 months, the following visas issued will be 12 month multi-entry without you asking for this.

It would appear that after you do the right thing first time they relax their rules.

Not in my experience. The first visa for 3 months. We went back to Thailand together and reapplied for another visa. They told us it was equal time, i.e. if you had a 3 month visa then you had to wait for 3 months before another one could be issued, and if the visa was for 6 months then there was a 6 month period before reapplying etc.

As it turns out they gave it to us 2 weeks later, but still only a 3 month visa not 6 or 12 months(which we had asked for). A friend of mine was told the same thing about the equal time thing by VFS.

We have never asked for a 12 month visa but after the first time they automatically have given it. We have never had to wait but then we have never stayed the full 12 months either. They probably have a rule that you cannot get continuing tourist visas. Most countries do that.

Posted

From my experience, the first visa issued will be for 3 months, the following visas issued will be 12 month multi-entry without you asking for this.

It would appear that after you do the right thing first time they relax their rules.

Not in my experience. The first visa for 3 months. We went back to Thailand together and reapplied for another visa. They told us it was equal time, i.e. if you had a 3 month visa then you had to wait for 3 months before another one could be issued, and if the visa was for 6 months then there was a 6 month period before reapplying etc.

As it turns out they gave it to us 2 weeks later, but still only a 3 month visa not 6 or 12 months(which we had asked for). A friend of mine was told the same thing about the equal time thing by VFS.

We have never asked for a 12 month visa but after the first time they automatically have given it. We have never had to wait but then we have never stayed the full 12 months either. They probably have a rule that you cannot get continuing tourist visas. Most countries do that.

I am away offshore Malaysia at present but downloaded the form 1419 and filled it in for her and emailed it to her to sign etc, we are married but have no intention of living in Aussie, just visiting my Mother on a regular basis, so have always applied for 12 month Multiple Entry Tourist Visa, and this is always what has been issued, this is the third one, last one expired in May. She dropped the form off yesterday and was told "up to two weeks", they have said the same before but has always been ready in a couple of days. I have found Aussie and NZ to be a good service unlike UK who are the most unhelpful I have ever had to deal with and what an attitude !! even though always get the visa eventually, they would only give three months first time but relented and gave 12 months second time. Not sure but maybe makes a difference that I have dual citizenship in NZ and UK and family ties in all three countries.

Posted (edited)

Thanks for sharing your recent experiences.

Indeed, the old 'Tourist Visa', the 676 is finished and now you will now need to apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) Tourist stream ... Form 1419

There might have been a misunderstanding with the missus about the application and the intended length of stay as those are almost unchanged between the two Visas and associated Forms.

attachicon.gifAu Visa UC.png

. Visitor visa 600

attachicon.gifAu Visa.png . attachicon.gif48r-1.jpg

. Visitor visa 600 . . . . . . . . Old 48r Form

One thing I know would be valuable information is, how long did your missus wait between finishing her last 12 month Visa and this application?

Thanks and good luck with the application.

Hi David,

You certainly keep your finger on the pulse.

I am not exactly sure when the old 12 month multiple entry visa finished but it was at least 6 months ago. Usually my missus only stays for about 2 weeks as that is all the time she can afford away from her home and our business in Bangers. Ha ha, she is also in the habit of changing her name if she thinks it will improve her luck. Plays havoc with all sorts of documents so she had to get a new passport for her latest application. However, the visa application form has a place to put all the names you have been known by.

.

Edited by senor123
  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

The visa was applied for on the 19th September at VFS Bangkok, sent to the Visa section of the Embassy on the same day (I guess they have some sort of courier service), granted on the 1st of October, and arrived by mail at the house of my missus on the morning of the 4th of October. It is the usual 12 month, multiple entry, 3 months max stay and the 3rd time she has been granted a visa. Looks like it gets easier the more visas you apply for as this time we did not supply a lot of documentation, just proof of my ability to support her stay in Australia and a couple of photos of us in the boondocks in Chai Nat.

Edited by senor123
  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

Great News ... thumbsup.gif

Thanks for the Update

Hi David,

Seems like you follow this visa stuff quite closely.

I must say that this time it seemed to take a little longer for the whole process.

Usually, if you do it in the middle of the year, you seem to get a reply in about 4 to 5 days.

Don't know where my missus got the 2 day processing idea from but I suspect it was from VFS saying that it takes up to 2 days before everything is checked and sent to the Embassy.

The next interesting thing was that Thai Airways was pretty much booked out until the 15th October.

About 31k baht for a return ticket from Thailand. I know you can get it cheaper but Thai Airways does a daytime run to Oz and back. About 9.5 hours so this is my choice.

Edited by senor123
  • Like 1
Posted

31k's not a bad fare to Australia this time of year on a legacy airline, I've forked out a few hundred more to fly SQ to SYD/BNE via SIN.

Was actually speaking to a mate of mine high up a certain airlines food chain and he was saying their flights to Australia (SYD/MEL) are overbooked for numerous days this month and that they've had to bump a number of passengers - generally the last to turn up gets bumped, but compensated...

As for the visa process, can't remember how long it took the MiL to get hers recently (June), fairly sure it was within a week or would have been but got held up due to the Australian Embassy requiring some company documentation and then got the run around either having to drop it at the Embassy or VFS. Not a huge deal as we live in BKK and VFS is just down the road from the Embassy. Just annoying that it was the Embassy who phoned but because she couldn't give the staffer's name we had to run it down to VFS.

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